Heart breaker
by Martini
Summary: A new girl shows up at the lodging house and causes havoc.
1. Default Chapter

**HEART BREAKER**

Cast: 

_Manhattan Lodgers             Women of the night   _

_Stress- Jack                       Aisling_

_Moneybags- Racetrack        Slash!_

_Hades- Mush                     Tunes_

_Toity- Blink                        Illusion_

_The Bloods (Gang)             Central Park Lodgers_

_Trinity                               Bookie- Spot_

_Quipster                            Martini- Skittery_

_South                                Pisky_

_Emu                                  Turtle_

_Sprints                              Gip_

_                                        Stryker_

_                                        Ramble_

_                                        Squibble_

_                                        Gambler_

_**Some people who replied to my CC had their parts changed. Sorry for the confusion. **_

_**My computer has been acting funky and bold lines have been appearing across the screen in various pages. Please disregard them. Sorry for the inconvenience.___

_***************************************************************_

From the moment Snoddy saw her, he knew she had to be trouble. She had to be; with the way she carried herself with such determination and the way her violet eyes flashed with self-confidence as she scanned the busy bunkroom. 

"Who's she?" whispered Hades fiercely.

"I'm not sure," replied Snoddy. "Why don't you go find out?"

Hades gave him a look before turning to Stress.

"Let's go see what she's up to."

Stress nodded and the two clambered to their feet and walked regally over to the new girl.

"Heya, I'm Stress."

"And I'm Hades. We just wanted to welcome you to the Manhattan Lodging House."

The girl nodded vaguely and didn't pay much attention to them. 

Hades looked at Stress and gave her a puzzled glance.

Stress shrugged her shoulders and decided to have a try.

"Uh…What's your name?"

The girl gave a small sigh and turned her eyes to the two.

"You can call me Calandra."

"Well, it's very nice to meet you Calandra. Can I introduce you to the girls?"

Calandra shook her head, causing her waist length raven hair to spin out around her.

"No thanks, but could you introduce me to that yummy cowboy over there?" she asked, eying Jack up and down.

"Excuse me?" Stress asked, praying to god that she had heard wrong. 

"The tall guy with the red bandana and the cowboy hat."

Hades quickly decided that now was a good time to intervene. 

"Sorry but he's taken."

"Really?" Calandra asked inquiringly. "I could have sworn he gave me a once over when I got here."

Stress was outraged and was ready to pounce onto the girl. 

        "Then what about the one with the curly hair? And the short pants?"

        Hades turned her black eyes that were beginning to glow red onto Calandra.

"For your information, he's mine and the cowboy's hers. And if you try to make a play for either of them, I swear to god I will soak you so bad you won't be able to sit down for a week!" 

Hades spun on her heel and marched back to her original spot, taking Stress with her. 

She sat down heavily on the bed and gave Snoddy a perturbed look. 

"Good advice Snoddy. We're over there for two seconds and she tries to steal our men!"

Snoddy shook his head and began to defend himself but was quickly interrupted by the appearance of Moneybags, a tall, slim, brunette who everyone labeled as the "good girl", and her friend Toity who was almost as tall as Moneybags but considered the conceited one of the group.

"Hey guys. What was all the shouting about?" Moneybags inquired.

"I know!" Chimed in Toity. "I was trying to comb my hair but got so distracted I couldn't!"

Stress sighed and turned to the two. 

"You'd better keep an eye on that girl over there. We just met her and she tried to steal our guys!"

"Are you serious?" asked Toity condescendingly. "You're telling me that she's trying to seduce our guys? Blink would never fall for anything like that. And plus, I'm so much more prettier than her that he'd never leave me!"

Hades tapped Toity on the gently on the shoulder.

"What is it Hades?" Toity asked annoyed. 

"I think there's something you should see," she replied, cocking her head in the direction of the window.

All four girls turned and were shocked at what they saw.

All the guys that were in the bunkroom (minus Snoddy) were all crowded around Calandra like bees to a hive and were hanging on her every word. 

"Uh Toity, what was that you were saying about Blink?" Hades asked.

Toity was deathly silent. Two crimson circles were beginning to form on her cheeks out of utter anger.

"This is it!" she declared. "Girls, let's go get our men back!"

She and the others stalked over to the window only to hear the musical laughter of this new temptress. 

Stress, Moneybags, Toity and Hades glanced at each other, and then nodded their heads. They knew what they had to do.  

Moneybags walked to behind Race, where she drew her arms around his waist.

"Racey, oh Racey," Moneybags whispered seductively into his ear. "Why did you leave me all alone over there? I was beginning to worry that you had forgotten me."

Race turned his head slightly and looked at the beautiful face of the girl he had fallen in love with.

"I could never forget you Moneybags," he replied, forgetting all about the untouchable Calandra in an instant. "You're the one for me."

Moneybags smiled. "Good. Glad to hear it. Care to go for a walk?"

Race nodded, and he and Moneybags left, leaving all Moneybags' anxiety about Calandra behind them. 

Hades, Stress and Toity were all having similar experiences and all left the bunkroom triumphantly, having succeeded in their mission of getting their guys back.

****

Days drifted by, night's quickly came and left, and soon Calandra found herself in her second week at the Manhattan Lodging House.

Things were tough- all the girls treated her with no respect or kindness and the guys treated her likewise. 

"Guys are all the same," she muttered to herself. "They all want one thing, and one thing only."

Calandra glanced around and registered her surroundings. In front of her stood the distribution center complete with two ugly guys who stood behind the counter. 

"Maybe I shouldn't have gotten up early to get my papers before everyone else."

        She sighed, and then pushed her worn, black newsie hat down further onto her smooth forehead before venturing up to the window.

        A seventeen-year-old guy with greasy black hair stood in front of her.

        Calandra took a deep breath. "I can handle this." "What was that doll face?" the guy asked with a leery grin.

        "They don't pay me near enough for this job," she thought to herself.

        She turned to the guy. "I said seventy papes you moron," she said sweetly.

        The guy pounded his fist on the counter and grabbed the cool, steel bars on the window, drawing his creepy face closer to hers. 

        "You'd better be careful girlie. I'll let you off eith a warning this time but if you every make a crack like that again, you'll be sorry. Really sorry."

        He grabbed her papers off the counter and shoved them violently into her outstretched hands.

        "Just remember- I've got my eye on you.

Calandra gave him a small, forced smile before clambering down the worn, wood steps onto the cobblestone road. 


	2. chapter 2= The abrupt encounter

She continued to walk slowly away from the distribution center until she had rounded the corner, and ran as fast as she could away from that creepy guy- and her life as a newsie.

                                       *    *    *

          Snoddy glanced up at the sky from where he stood on the busy street corner. The sun seemed to have disappeared behind a cloud, but he could still feel its heat on his face. 

"It's way too hot out here. I need to sit down before I fall down," Snoddy thought to himself. He pushed his old, worn, gray hat further up his brow before whipping the sweat off his tanned forehead and yelling, "I'm taking a break!" to his selling partner and old friend, Skittery.

          Skittery nodded his head in understanding and yelled back, "I'm just gonna finish selling the rest of my papes. I'll meet you at Tibby's in 20 minutes."

          Snoddy waved goodbye to his friend and turned the corner, anxious to get out of the burning sun.

          All of a sudden like a lightning bolt, something or someone came hurtling around the bend and smacked into Snoddy.

          "Oomph!" came the startles cry.

          Snoddy peered down and came face to face with none other than Calandra. 

          "Hi!" Snoddy at started nervously. "I don't think we're met before. I'm Snoddy."

          "Calandra," the girl replied, pushing her sparkling raven hair over her shoulder. "I've seen you around."

          Snoddy's face broke out into a wide grin.

          "She knows who I am!" he thought happily to himself.

          "Uh, so, uh, do you think maybe you'd want to go get a bite to eat with me, so I can say sorry about running into you?"

        Calandra gave an agitated sigh and looked him straight in the eye.

        "Look, I've been having a bad day and if you're only taking me out because you think you've got a chance with me, you had better be joking."

        "No, no!" Snoddy quickly said. "I'd never do anything like that. I'm like the most reliable, dependable and honest guy in all of New York!"

        "How can I know for certain?"

        "You can't. You'll have to trust me."

        A brief pause overcame the two as they stood in the middle of the crowded sidewalk.

        "Okay."

        Snoddy gazed back once again into Calandra's riveting eyes. 

        "Really?"

        "Really. Son now where were you thinking of taking me?"

        Well, I know this little place over on fourty-fourth and second…"

                        *        *        *        *        *        *

        As the hours passed, Calandra found herself liking Snoddy more and more.

        "He's so perfect! We share all the same interests, and he talks to me like a real live person!" she thought to herself as she gazed across the small, wooden table to Snoddy. 

        Across the table, Snoddy was having similar feelings. 

        "I never knew that it was possible to meet someone so nice, smart and funny!"

        He reached across to take Clandra's small hand in his, but his gesture was delayed, as his sleeve got caught on the edge of the table and pushed his worn shirt up his tanned arm. 

        Calandra drew in a sharp breath as she looked at his forearm.

        That was it! That was the tattoo!" she screamed to herself as she looked at the faded black circle that curved around Snoddy's wrist. "I've got to get out here!

        Calandra stood up abruptly and excused herself from the table.

        She smiled warily and walked quickly towards the bathroom. Calandra turned to see if Snoddy was watching her anymore. He wasn't, so she snuck out the front door of the restaurant.

        The warm air from outside rushed up to her and embraced her as she started walking briskly down the street, eager to get away from Snoddy and the tattoo. 

        "I thought I had gotten away from all of that," she thought to herself. "I guess it'll never go away."

                                *        *        *        *        *      


	3. chapter 3= a new friendship

Thanks to Stress, Lucky, Bookie, Mads and Alex, and Candi Cane for reviewing. You guys rock! 

Sorry about this chunk of the fic being so short. I juts haven't being able to find my muse. Wish me luck in finding it! lol!

Darkness fell upon Calandra as she ran from the restaurant. The stars began emerging from their hidden corners in the universe and Calandra felt like her lungs were about to pop from exhaustion. Finally, she stopped running and collapsed onto the ground. She lay there for what seemed like ages and watched as the trees swayed from side to side. Suddenly a voice emerged from the peaceful silence.  

"I wonder if the doors are locked?"

A majestic laugh emerged from a second person as they replied, "I don't think we'll have to worry about that Bookie. If they are, our girls will have hell to pay!"

The second figure began to laugh as well. "I like the perks of being the leaders of this joint."

Their footsteps began to get louder and echoed as they approached the fallen girl. 

"What's this?" one asked rushing to Calandra's side. 

"Are you okay?" the second one asked.

Calandra nodded and said, "Just a bit tired."

The two nodded and carefully brought the girl to her feet. 

"You can stay with us, if you want."

"I'd like that, a lot."

The three girls then carefully entered an old building a few doors down and shut the door behind them.

                        *        *        *        *        *        *        *      

"Bookie, Martini, is that you?" a voice called out. 

"It better be you!" a second voice said. "I want all the juicy details of your double date with Skittery and Spot!"

A crowd of girls emerged from the top of the staircase and immediately sprung into action as they spied the third girl. 

"What's the matter? Is she okay?"

Calandra nodded her head yes. "I'm fine. Just a bit exhausted."


End file.
